AN: Thanks for the nice review guys. I just love hearing from you. And no, I haven't abandoned my other stories. I just found this story that I had actually written over the summer, and thought I'd publish it. Well, hope you guys enjoy the last two chapters.
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Chapter Four
The battle raged on underneath the shifty tower that had been made by the local crazies. The whole thing didn't appear to have been made for long term use, just to last long enough to let the hell goddess do her thing, then collapse onto whoever was unfortunate enough to be below. Really, whatever happened to craftsmanship when it came to evil platforms over a vortex to hell? Well, that's what happens when you don't hire union.
Summers was pinned down on the opposite side of the site from the other Scoobies. Every time she even barely lifted her head, one of the local loonies would fling something at her, which usually happened to be some pretty nasty rocks. She already had a knot forming on the side of her head from one hit she took, and she wasn't exactly looking to get another one anytime soon.
The slayer felt a shiver crawl up her spine as she glanced over to see the head of the bot staring blankly at her from nearby. It had rolled that way when Glory had knocked it off, and was now resting silently with that stupid look on its face. God, she always hated that thing, but it had served a purpose. Maybe the saying was true. Maybe everything that happens does have a reason, but, hell, that thing was disturbing to look at, even now.
From nearby, she could hear her younger self and the hell goddess battling it out, just like they were supposed too. The catfight of the century was going on no more than thirty feet away from her, and she knew the outcome. Too bad they didn't have odds out in Vegas, else she might have made herself a tidy little sum that night.
The brunette heard some commotion from the guarding group of psychos, and turned just in time to see them part like the Red Sea before a streak of black shot through them.
There goes Spike, off to try and save the day. He would fail, of course, but a part of her had hoped that perhaps he would win this time. That he would get the better of that creepy little man at the top of the tower, and stop everything from happening. It was a dim hope, but hope nonetheless.
Minutes seemed to draw out into hours as she watched the battle around her. The Scoobies were continuing to fight with the minions, her younger self was fighting Glory, and Spike was high above trying to fight off Doc. They were all doing their parts, and she was waiting to do hers.
A scream pierced through the night, one that Summers didn't remember hearing before. She turned slightly and looked up, just in time to see a body falling towards the ground. The leather duster pillowed up behind him, slapping in the rushing wind like a torn sail. Summers quickly turned her head away and covered her ears. Even if it wouldn't kill him, she didn't want to see or hear him hit the pavement.
When she was satisfied that he had already hit, she raised her head again and glanced around to see where they were in the battle. Giles was heading towards Buffy and Glory to play cleanup. Yeah, she knew what he had done that night to Ben. It would be years before she found out, but she had. Part of her had wanted to be disgusted at what the Watcher had done, but, as she had told him, she understood now. Ben, unfortunately, was about to become the newest causality of war. It was a cold thing to say, but that didn't make it any less true.
That also meant that Summers' time had finally come. Her whole mission depended on the next several minutes, and they were starting right now as Buffy was heading to climb the tower.
Jumping to her feet, the future slayer charged after the blonde. The dirt and rocks scratched under her boots as she ran as quickly as she could, ready for the fight she was about to encounter. Locking her hands together to make one big fist, Summers yelled slightly to get Buffy's attention. The blonde slayer turned just as her future self slammed her fist into her head, knocking Buffy to the side.
"What the hell are you doing!?" her younger self demanded.
"What I have to," Summers growled back, lunging once more at the blonde.
Buffy ducked and dodged as the brunette's fist flew at her. She was faster than the younger slayer, stronger too, but Buffy wasn't about to let her win. Dawn was not going to die! Not even if she thought it was right in the future.
When the blonde countered, and countered well, Summers grinned. She knew her weaknesses, knew when she'd be open, she just wondered when Buffy would realize that.
The younger slayer knocked the older across the face hard then came up with a round house to try and knock the woman to ground. Summers caught the leg in midair, and threw it back with such force that it caused Buffy to loose her footing and stumble. The brunette then jumped in the air, bending up one knee before kicking upward with the other leg, knocking Buffy right under the chin. The force of the hit was so hard, that it literally lifted the slayer off the ground and threw her backwards.
Rolling back onto her shoulders, Buffy leapt back to her feet, raising both fists close to her face and staring coldly at her twin. She looked like she was ready to kill Summers, but the brunette wasn't afraid because she knew something Buffy didn't. She had bought enough time for the blood to drip, which meant…
There was an explosion overhead, which caused everything and everyone to shake, as if an earthquake was going on. Buffy, being unprepared for it, stumbled a little, barely catching herself before turning her head upward to see what had caused it. Her mouth hung open at the angry energy that hung in midair, then turned back to Summers who had not moved.
"What did you do?" Buffy asked, not believing that her own self would help open the portal.
"If I'm right, I saved the world," Summers sighed, taking her attention away from the light and turning back to Buffy. "If I'm wrong, I just damned us all."
The older slayer's arm suddenly struck out and grabbed Buffy by the shirt. The blonde had been so surprised, she hadn't been able to fight it off before Summers used her strength to lift the younger woman, spin, and throw her as hard and far as she could. The brunette watched as the tiny blonde flew across the battle field, before slamming into the nearby building, breaking the wall upon impact. Summers held her breath, watching Buffy carefully as the blonde groaned, tried to push herself up, then fell to ground unconscious.
Good, Buffy wouldn't be the one jumping. There would be no break in the slayer line because of her resurrection, and the First would never have his loophole chance to destroy the world. They would never have the Great Calling, so the knowledge of demons wouldn't be made a publicly known fact because of the girls. The government wouldn't fall because of the terror the knowledge caused, and the I.O.H. would never be formed. And lots of people, including her family and friends, wouldn't have to die fighting a war that there was no way they could win.
Her mission was almost completed. There was just one more thing to take care of. Glancing up the tower, Summers took off for the top.
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Tears ran down Dawn's cheeks as she stared at the white ball of light below her. Oh, God, what had she done?
The tower shook violently, and, reflexively, the fourteen-year-old screamed in terror, hanging onto the straps that held her tightly. Doc shifted with the tower, never loosing his balance as he watched the portal below him with a giant smile.
"Oh, her greatness will be pleased," he said in a chipper voice before turning his gaze toward the teenager. "Don't you think?"
Dawn sobbed a little more, dropping her eyes from his. The world was going to end, and it was her fault. And the only way she knew how to stop it was to die. She didn't want to die. She was just a kid. It wasn't fair to ask her to.
"Oh, don't look so sad," Doc cooed at the teen. "You're helping a great cause."
"Funny, I don't see it that way," Dawn bit back with her last bit of defiance.
"Neither do I," a familiar voice added from the other side of the platform.
The teenager's head shot up at the voice, hope filling her face upon seeing her sister standing there. Well, she thought it was her sister. But since when did Buffy go brunette and all dominatrixy?
One thing was for sure, the slayer was pissed. She had that same look on her face that she had whenever Dawn would steal something from her room or read her diary or something like that.
"Well," Doc said, smiling as he headed toward the slayer and she towards him. "This ought to be-."
With little effort or thought, Buffy easily pushed him out of the way and off the tower, much in the same fashion as he had done to Spike minutes before. Her eyes were locked on her little sister, and that angry expression still on her face. Dawn trembled a little as her sister reached for her. God, she looked like she was going to kill her.
She was surprised when Buffy undid the straps without a word and pulled her forward, away from the edge of the tower.
The slayer began to push the teenager towards the safe end of the structure, following behind her to make sure she got there.
"Buffy, the portal," Dawn said softly, glancing down to the light below as her sister ushered her to safety.
"I know," the new brunette answered before stopping them both at the top of the stairs. She turned the teenager to face her and her angered expression softened. "I don't have the time this go around to tell you everything, but just remember this. I do love you, no matter what. Tell the others… tell them, they've got a fresh start. Don't screw it up."
Dawn blinked at the message, not understanding a word of it. But Buffy just smiled, and kissed her little sister one last time on the cheek. There, she had said goodbye to everyone.
The teenager's eyes widened when realized what her sister had in mind. "Buffy, no! It's my blood it wants!"
Summers smiled kindly at the child.
"Don't worry. It'll be okay," the brunette slayer told her, gently running her fingers against the girl's cheek.
Then, for the second time in her life, Summers turned and ran the length of the platform. As she leapt off in a perfect swan dive, a content smile rose to her lips as she thought of her friends and loved ones she would soon be seeing.
Don't worry guys. I'm coming.
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Buffy groaned as she slowly began to regain consciousness. She found herself laying face first in a pile of dirt as a headache began to throb.
What happened? Did they win? Did they loose and this was hell? If so, hell needed to be dusted more often.
"Buffy, are you alright?" she heard Giles ask before she felt his hand wrap around her arm.
"Yeah," she groaned, letting the Watcher help her to her feet. "I'm fine."
It took a few seconds for her eyes to regain their focus and for her to actually see where she was. They were still at the construction sight, but things were different. There was a large crack in the foundation, along with huge piles of debris scattered about the place. Overhead, the sky began to brighten with morning light, making everything look cool, yet warm.
"What happened?" the slayer asked, clutching her side. She was pretty sure she had broken a rib or…ten.
"We're not sure," Giles answered truthfully, looking over their surroundings.
The local loonies seemed to be getting their wits back, staring at one another and at the Scoobies with a great deal of confusion. Apparently, with Glory's defeat, their minds went back to the way they were supposed to work. That was good to know.
The Scoobies themselves looked worse for wear. Anya had apparently taken a pretty hard hit, and Xander was now carrying her across the site. Tara and Willow were clinging onto one another, stumbling towards their blonde leader as if to be sure that it was over. Buffy wasn't sure what had happened to Spike, but he to seemed to be undead and well… except for the whole limping and looking as if he was about to pass out any moment, that is. Giles looked the best out of all of them, with maybe just a bruise or two, and some cuts. And Dawn-.
"Oh, God! Where's Dawn?!"
"I'm here," a teenage voice called from the tower stairs entrance.
Her blue eyes widened when she saw her sister standing next to Giles, sharing much the same look as her sibling. Though she was injured, the slayer ran across the site, wrapped her little sister in her arms, and hugged her. Dawn stood there awkwardly in shock for several seconds, then relaxed a bit and joined the embrace.
When Buffy pulled away, she quickly began to check the girl over to be sure she was alright. "Oh, God, Dawn. You're bleeding!"
"I don't understand," Dawn said, looking at her sister, then back at the others to be sure she wasn't a figment of her imagination. She stopped her sister's hands, and held them in her own, forcing the twenty-year-old to look up at her. "I saw you jump."
"What?"
"From the tower. You jumped a-and stopped it. How can you not be, you know…?"
"Dead," Giles said, drawing the group's attention to him.
They turned from the sisters and found the Watcher looking off to the side. There was a quiet sadness in face as he slowly made his way towards his find, the others following behind.
Lying on top of a pile of debris was Buffy's future self, Summers. She looked almost like she was sleeping, like she had just decided she was far too tired to make it any further and had lied down to take a nap. But she wasn't breathing, and, if she had jumped like Dawn had thought, she had to be dead.
Yet, on her lips, rested the most peaceful smile Buffy had ever seen in her life. It was like someone who had been fighting for years had been told it was okay for them to stop… to finally rest.
"Buffy, who is she?" Dawn asked, holding a little tighter onto her sister's hand. When she hadn't answered after several long seconds, Dawn pushed, "Buffy."
The older Summers then turned to the younger, studying her worried face. She wanted to know, but Dawn had just answered her own question even if she didn't realize it.
Buffy… Summers, had indeed died to save the world and her sister, yet here she still remained. Maybe, this time around, whatever had been so horrible that she had actually been willing to go back in time and stop it, wouldn't happen. Maybe, this time, she could enjoy her life. Maybe, this time, there actually was some hope.
With that thought, Buffy smiled.
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